Moor 1932

Zinaida Serebriakova made this image of a seated woman, probably with pastels or a similar chalky medium, and it's a real beauty. I love how the colours are laid down so directly, so frankly. You can almost see her hand moving across the paper, building up the image with layers of colour and texture, like a conversation between the artist and the subject. The blue background is like a soft cushion for the figure to rest against, and the oranges, reds, and blues in her clothing create this lovely harmony, a feeling of warmth and intimacy. It makes me think about how artists find inspiration in each other's work across time and place. Serebriakova reminds me of other figurative painters like Alice Neel, who captured the essence of their subjects with such honesty and vulnerability. It's like they're all part of this ongoing conversation about what it means to be human and how to express that through paint. It makes you wonder what she was thinking as she captured this intimate scene, and what the sitter herself was thinking too. It’s that human connection that makes a work of art great.